Managing the configuration of multiple computer devices of a network system is important in assuring that inter-operation of such devices provides desired network system operation. Typically, each computer device is a separate microprocessor based computer system which is configured in terms of the computer programs, files and parameters settings which control its function. One reason these computer devices are highly configurable is that computer programs and files may be inputted via electrical alterable read-only memories or disk drives, such as by adding new versions of computer programs. One problem in a network system having multiple computer devices is difficulty in maintaining the configuration of each computer device such that their inter-operation provides desired network system operation. This is a major problem in network systems having multiple computer devices which are separated by vast geographic areas, such as in paging and other wireless messaging systems.
Conventionally, each computer device of the network system is locally configured by executing computer configuration files when the device is started-up (or booted), such as autoexec.bat and config.sys files used by computer devices operating on a MS-DOS operating system. In response to executing such configuration files, operating parameters are set and files are loaded into local memory of the computer device, such as RAM, from its hard drive, or from a network file server when the device is on a Local Area Network (LAN). The configuration files may also specify which loaded files represent programs which should be running (i.e., executed) on the computer device. Often when the computer devices are connected over a network to a network file server, each computer device on start-up downloads from a network file server a computer program file which contains or references configuration information for the device. The computer device, responsive to this downloaded program file, then sets up its configuration. This process of downloading a file on start-up is commonly known as a BOOTP-TFTP.
Thus, typically each of its computer devices loads, on start-up, computer configuration files and operates in response thereto, but after start up there is no mechanism for assuring that the configuration is proper to provide desired network system operation. Further, during the operation of each of the computer devices of the network system, the system cannot centrally control the configuration of each device, as when to the computer device's configuration is locally altered. For example, if a new computer file version is loaded at the computer device which revises its configuration, the revised configuration will not be detected and corrected until the computer device's operation is adversely effected. Also, during operation of the computer device, the network system cannot centrally control and revise the configuration of each computer device when the configuration of the device needs to be revised.
In addition, when computer files are specified by configuration files to be downloaded from a network file server, all computer files are downloaded regardless of whether those files are present at the computer device, such as on its hard drive. Often such files are already present at the computer device, and downloading them wastes both network bandwidth and time. Thus, it is desirable to control over a network the configuration of each computer device of the network system to assure that the configuration of each device provides desired network system operation while minimizing network bandwidth usage.